HIGHLY MODIFIED BINDERS FOR THIN LIFT AND

MICRO SURFACING EMULSION APPLICATIONS

Midwest Preservation Partnership Meeting

Indianapolis, Indiana, November 13, 2013

Chris Lubbers, Kraton Polymers, LLC

Outline

•How SBS Works in Bitumen

•Background of the Highly-Modified (HiMA) Binder Concept

•Pavement Trials – NCAT – Structural

•Pavement Trials – Thin Lift (AASHTO TSP2) + Micro Surfacing

SBS in Bitumen

Phase Morphology

Crack Propagation in Toughened Composite

S. López-Esteban, J.F. Bartolemé, C. Percharromán, S.R.H. Mello Castanho, J.S. Moya, Wet

Processing and Characterization of ZrO2/Stainless Steel Composites: Electrical and Mechanical

Performance, Materials Research, Vol. 4, São Carlos, July 2001. Used with permission.

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HiMA Binders – Asphalt – Modified Polymer

40

50

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0 2 4 6 8 10 SBS Content [%]

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Discontinuous Polymer Rich Phase

Continuous Polymer Rich Phase

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Background – HiMA Binder Concept

• Higher traffic intensities and pavement loadings require more durable pavements.

• Higher traffic intensities also command longer maintenance intervals to increase availability of the road.

• Environmental pressure is increasing; reduction of use of natural resources such as aggregate and less emissions are highly desired.

• SBS modification has proven benefits in wearing courses over the past decades in every relevant property.

Use the benefits of SBS to create a polymer modified base course, intermediate course, and/or wearing course at reduced thickness – individual layer or composite pavement design

Proposed System Redesign

subgrade

subbase

1 ¾” (PMA)

wearing course

6 ½” base

course

1 ¾” binder

course

subgrade

subbase (thickness depending

on local conditions)

1 ½” PMA wearing

course

3” PMA base

course

1 ½” PMA binder

course

Conventiona

l

HiMA

This an example; depending on local conditions other types may apply

10” 6”

Applications

• Highly Modified Asphalt is a tool. It can be used to improve performance and

cost effectiveness in a variety of asphalt paving applications:

• New construction and structural rehabilitation – thinner structures, lower

upfront cost.

• Preservation overlays – thinner structures, more resistant to

thermal and reflective cracking. (AASHTO TSP2 program)

• Micro surfacing – more resistant to cracking and raveling

• Open grade mixes – more resistant to raveling. Resistant to drain down (no

need for fibers)

• Waterproof bridge decks – zero void mixes that are rut resistant and yet

highly flexible

• Etc.

9 KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values

NCAT Trials

10 KRATON

National Center for Asphalt Technology Auburn, Alabama

– 2.7 km dedicated test track

– Full pavement lifetime simulated in 2+ years

Thin structural test section N7 (2009)

– 18% thinner pavement, 145 mm versus

– 175 mm control sections

– 1/3 as much rutting

– No cracking

Structural rehabilitation N8 (2010)

– Oklahoma sponsored section

– Standard rehab (2009) failed in 10 months

– HiMA rehabilitation 4 mm rutting and no cracking at 24 months

Continuing N7 & N8 for 2012 cycle

Invited to also participate in preservation sections, e.g. microsurfacing, for 2012 cycle

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NCAT – Cross Sections Evaluated

Test Track Soil Mr = 28,900 psi n = 0.45

Dense Graded Crushed Aggregate Base Mr = 12,500 psi n = 0.40

6”

3” (PG 67-22; 19mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

2 ¾” (PG 76-22; 19mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

1 ¼” (PG 76-22; 9.5mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

Control (7” HMA)

2 ¼” (7½% polymer;19mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

2 ¼” (7½% polymer;19mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

1 ¼” (Kraton Modified, 9.5 mm NMAS)

Experimental (5 ¾” HMA) Case 3 (7” HMA)

Courtesy Prof. David Timm, Auburn U.

Lift thicknesses limited by 3:1

thickness:NMAS requirement

NCAT Rutting & Cracking as of 8/13

Thin structural section Standard control

Group Experiment – all but one showing early cracking. No cracking on either N7 or N8.

Thin rehab section

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2006 NCAT Construction Cycle

Weak subgrade = poor soil for construction

10” Oklahoma Perpetual Pavement Design

N8 – 10” HMA

over weak base N9 – 14” HMA

over weak base

14” Oklahoma Perpetual Pavement Design

Oklahoma Perpetual

Pavement Experiment

10” pavement

paved Aug. 2006

5” rehabilitation

Aug. 2009

10 months old

Section N8 – June 29, 2010 – 4.0 MM ESALs

1½” rutting, alligator cracking

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2009 NCAT Construction Cycle – August 2010

Weak subgrade = poor soil for construction

Oklahoma Pavement – Failed

due to severe subgrade rutting

N8 – 10” Standard

over weak base

N9 – 14” Standard

over weak base

Oklahoma Pavement – Still Sound

Standard subgrade = good soil for construction

N7 - 5 ¾” HIMA

over sound base

2 ¼” (7½% polymer;

19 mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

2 ¼” (7½% polymer;

19mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

1 ¼” (7½% polymer; 9.5 mm NMAS)

1 ¼” (7½% polymer; 9.5mm NMAS)

3 ¼” (7½% polymer;

19mm NMAS; 80 Gyrations)

1 ¼” (7½% polymer; 9.5 mm NMAS)

Oklahoma proposed design modification

Section N8 – Sept. 12, 2011 – 5.27 MM ESALs

as of 5/31/13 – 9.1 MM ESALs

10” pavement

paved Aug. 2006

5” rehabilitation

Aug. 2009

5 ½” HiMA rehab

Aug. 2010

13 months old

Similar crack appeared in first overlay at 2.7 MM ESALs

Oklahoma is sponsoring this section through the 2012 cycle to

monitor further deterioration and evaluate preservation strategies.

< ¼” rutting, no cracking

Conclusions – HiMA Structural Sections

•Highly modified binders can give dramatic improvement

in pavement resistance to rutting and fatigue damage.

•Thickness reduction can more than offset increased material

costs.

• In severe distress situations, highly modified binders can

possibly double pavement life.

•Current modeling and design software may be used to

predict material performance characteristics and rationally

design pavements.

•Current field trials will help determine if there is benefit

for thin lift and micro surfacing preservation strategies.

HiMA Thin Overlay Trials – Lee Road 159, NCAT

• Lee Road 159 Quarry Access Road – predominantly unloaded and heavily

loaded truck traffic.

18 KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values

– 4.75 mm mix,

limestone/sand, 6.4%

binder content, 0.8”

thickness

– Final section of 25 at the

Lee Road 159/Sand Hill

Road intersection, heaviest

distress with

stopping/starting/turning

trucks.

– Paved August 13, 2012.

East Alabama Paving Auburn Plant

Martin Marietta Quarry

Lee Road 159

Sand Hill Road

Thin Overlay Trials – New Hampshire

AASHTO TSP2 Mix Design

• NH DOT U.S. 202 (4,600 ADT)

– AASHTO TSP2 thin lift HiMA paving program constructed September 2011

– Two lanes for two miles; dense graded mix design with 25% RAP content at 1 inch

thickness for a 1 inch asphalt overlay contract

– Comparison was 1 inch PG 64-28 dense mix

– No rutting or raveling evident on either section

– Control section – ~10% transverse cracking

– HiMA section – One 3 foot reflective crack and one 12 foot longitudinal crack noted

over the two miles in west lane

• HiMA technology being specified on a FHWA Highways for Life grant to be contracted

by the NHDOT in 2012 – Job completed in August, 2013

19 KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values

Thin Overlay Trials – Vermont

AASHTO TSP2 Mix Design

• VT AOT U.S. 7 (4,700 ADT)

– AASHTO TSP2 thin lift HiMA paving program constructed September 2011

– Two lanes and shoulders for two miles; dense graded mix design with 25% RAP content

at 1 inch thickness for one mile and virgin aggregate at 1 inch thickness for one mile

for a 1 inch asphalt overlay contract

– Comparison was ¾” Novachip type C mix with PG 58-28 with latex modified tack coat

– No rutting or raveling evident on either section

– HiMA section vs control – 75% reduction in cracking – October 2013

20 KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values

Thin Overlay Trials – Minnesota

Standard SP Mix Design

• MN DOT TH 100 (64,000 ADT)

– AASHTO TSP2 thin lift HiMA paving program constructed August 2011

– One lane for two miles; dense graded mix design with 25% RAP content at 2 inch

thickness with a 1,500 feet section within the two miles at 1.5 inch thickness

– No rutting or raveling evident

– Control section – Reflective cracking at 10% in the control lane

– HiMA section - 50% of those cracks carrying over into the HiMA lane and 50% stopping

at the HiMA lane

– No visual differences noted between the 2 inch and 1.5 inch HiMA pavements

– 25% thickness reduction with, to date, similar/ improved cracking resistance

– Additional HiMA thin lift trials with up to 25% RAP with both OR DOT (1” - June,

2012) and NJ DOT (2” - September, 2013) – Standard SP mix designs

– Best performance – TSP2 fine mix with higher net asphalt/virgin content

21 KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values

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HiMA Micro Surfacing – 6 wt% Loading Level

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MN HiMA Micro Surfacing Job Story

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MN HiMA Micro Surfacing Project – 6/2012

•Emulsion producer – Flint Hills Resources – Wichita, KS

–6 wt% D0243 in PG xx-34 base AC – >200 dmm PEN • SP – 156oF

• PEN – 122 dmm at 25C

–Control – 3.5 dry wt% cationic SBR latex in PG 64-22 base AC

–Two trial sections

• MN Road Cell #1 – Interstate 94 – 16 wt% emulsion with no control

• ADT – 28,000 vehicles/day including heavy truck traffic

• TH 23 – 13 wt% emulsion with control

• ADT – >5000 vehicles/day

• PCC slab (original) + 6 in. of bit. concrete (‘98) + chip seal (‘04)

•Contractor – ASTECH Corporation – St. Joseph, MN

–Leveling course and surface course applied to trial sections

–Type II gradation

–Application rate – net 30 lbs/yd2 24

HiMA Micro Emulsion Application

Mn Road Cell #1 – Before/After – 6/2012

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Before Passing Lane – PG 58-28 Asphalt Concrete – 12 yrs old over PCC slab

Slow Lane – PG xx-34 Asphalt Concrete – 6 yrs old over PCC slab

Additional HiMA Micro Surfacing Projects

•Vance Brothers – Lee’s Summit, KC – 7/2012 (PG 58-28)

•Ergon/Viking – Dallas, TX – 9/2012 (PG 58-28)

•Ergon/Sealcoating – Hingham, MA – 10/12 (PG 58-28)

•Ergon/Sealcoating – Dartmouth, MA – 8/13 (PG 58-28)

•Ergon/Sealcoating – Northbridge, MA – 9/13 (PG 58-28)

•Ergon/APS – PENN DOT – Lancaster, PA – 9/13 (PG 58-28)

•Ergon/APS – Lakeland, FL – 9/13 (PG 58-28) 26

27 KRATON Mission + Vision and Core Values

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